EU Presidency Statement - The question of Palestine

Summary: November 29, 2001: Explanation of vote by the European Union. Question of Palestine (New York)

Mr. President,

I have the honor to explain the vote by the European Union on the draft Resolutions entitled "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" and "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat".

The European Union is convinced that the framework of the "peace process", which has been laboriously constructed in the course of negotiations and agreements between the different parties, represents the only reasonable hope of ending a conflict which, if it continues, cannot fail to aggravate the suffering of the peoples involved. That process has produced the elements of an agreement, which it is necessary to preserve and, more importantly, bring to fruition. Despite our deep concern about the ever-deteriorating situation in the Middle East, we continue to call on Israelis and Palestinians to return, without preconditions, to the path of negotiation on the basis of the recommendations in the Mitchell Report and Tenet Plan.

The European Union, Mr. President, regrets the fact that the terms of reference of these two United Nations bodies dealing with the question of Palestine do not sufficiently reflect the spirit of the peace process, which must be revived as a matter of necessity and urgency. For that reason, the European Union has abstained from voting on these two Resolutions, as in the past.